A construction classification system database for understanding resource use in building construction

Area of Science:

• Construction Management
• Sustainable Building Materials
• Building Performance Analysis

Background:

• The construction sector extensively uses primary materials, but data scarcity and inconsistency hinder analysis of material use and impacts.
• Existing studies lack standardized data structures, complicating comparisons and broader insights into building material consumption.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and demonstrate a novel building material data structure.
• To create a fine-grained material dataset for 70 North American buildings.
• To enhance interoperability and standardization in construction material studies.

Main Methods:

• Developed a data structure adapted from UniFormat and MasterFormat construction classification systems.
• Collected design and construction drawings for 70 North American buildings.
• Performed material takeoffs from drawings to populate the dataset.

Main Results:

• A standardized building material data structure based on UniFormat and MasterFormat was created.
• A comprehensive dataset detailing material use for 70 buildings in North America is now available.
• The data structure facilitates analysis of design's influence on material consumption.

Conclusions:

• The proposed data structure and dataset address data gaps and heterogeneity in building material studies.
• This work supports investigations into material reduction strategies and a deeper understanding of material flows in buildings.
• The standardized approach promotes interoperability with existing construction management practices and future research.